It has been widely accepted that a stationary human body, such as a person when sitting or standing, acts as a single degree of freedom (SDOF) system in structural vibration. However, it is not clear what form the SDOF model should take and what are the appropriate parameters for the model. The significance of considering human body models in structural vibration comes from the fact that human involvement affects the dynamic behaviour of the structure when a crowd is present and that human body response is different from structural vibration. This forms the basis of this study.This thesis presents both experimental and theoretical studies to develop human body models. It examines the characteristics of two interaction human body models, determines the parameters of the two body models in structural vibration and explores their applications.A continuous model of a standing human body in vertical vibrations is first developed using an anthropomorphic model and two available natural frequencies obtained from shaking table tests. A standing human body is represented as a bar with seven mass segments using the anthropomorphic model and two stiffnesses of the model are identified using the two natural frequencies. The relationships between the continuous model and discrete body models are provided.The masses, damping ratios and stiffnesses of two interaction body models are identified by curve fitting of the measured apparent mass curves from shaking table tests in published biomechanics studies. In this identification process it was identified that one or two conditions have to be applied which can be derived from the outcome of the continuous body model.The characteristics of human-structure interaction models are investigated using both theoretical and experimental Fourier Response Functions. The comparative studies based on 10 tests help to show that the interaction body model is more appropriate than the conventional body model used in structural vibration, and identify the appropriate parameters for the interaction model. The theoretical study shows that the response of stationary people is always larger than structural vibration when human loads are applied, such as walking, jumping and bouncing. The conditions for observing two resonance frequencies are provided graphically for a human-structure system where the interaction body model is used.A method is proposed to identify the parameters of the interaction model through 45 free vibration tests of a standing person on a test rig. The identified values of the natural frequency and damping ratio of a standing body are not close to those from the biomechanics tests. Sensitivity studies show that the two parameters are sensitive to the input data, the damped natural frequency and damping ratio of the human-structure system, which are obtained from free vibration tests.As an extension of the application of FRF and the human-structure model, the optimum parameters of a tuned-mass-damper are obtained based on the concept of equivalent damping ratio of a SDOF structure system. The results are tabulated for practical use. An example of floor vibration induced by rhythmic crowd loads is provided to demonstrate the use of the optimum TMDs and shows the effect of vibration reduction.This thesis entitled “Models of a Standing Human Body in Structural Vibration” is submitted to the University of Manchester by Qingwen Zhang for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 2013.

Lors d'un accident de voiture, l'abdomen peut être soumis à des chargements rapides pouvant entrainer des blessures des organes abdominaux. Bien que les modèles éléments-finis humains soient de plus en plus utilisés pour la prédiction de ces blessures pendant un choc, la validation de leur comportement interne reste difficile en particulier à cause d'un manque de données expérimentales disponibles. En effet, la vitesse de tels chargements ne permet pas d'utiliser des moyens d'imagerie « classiques » tel que l'IRM. Basé sur une récente technique d'imagerie (échographie ultra-rapide), ce travail porte sur l'étude du comportement interne de l'abdomen pendant un chargement rapide. D'une part, des essais de chargement rapides ont été menés sur sujet cadavérique permettant de mettre en évidence des relations entre le chargement externe et la cinématique interne du foie. Ces essais ont été simulés en utilisant un modèle humain existant et des tendances similaires ont pu être observées pour certains des résultats expérimentaux. D'autre part, afin d'aider à l'exploitation des données échographiques dans ce contexte, une méthode numérique a été développée permettant de calculer des cartes de déformations d'organe à partir d'images échographique ultra-rapide. Cette méthode a d'abord été évaluée numériquement et expérimentalement. Puis elle été appliquée à des images échographiques de reins isolés soumis à des chargements rapides (humain et porc) issus d'une précédente étude permettant de mettre en évidence l'influence de paramètres tels que la vitesse sur les déformations 2D des différentes régions de l'organe. Dans l'ensemble, ces travaux ont permis de progresser sur la connaissance de la réponse de l'abdomen au choc, et de mettre en évidence les limites de performances des modèles actuels de l'être humain. La méthodologie développée afin de calculer les cartes de déformation devrait aider à renforcer ces connaissances dans le futur / During an automotive accident, the abdomen can be subjected to rapid loading leading to abdominal organ injuries. Although human body models become increasingly prevalent to predict injuries during an impact, the validation of their internal response is difficult, in particular due to the lack of data available. Such impact last less than ten milliseconds making the use of standard imaging (e.g. MRI) tools difficult. Based on a recent imaging modality (ultrafast ultrasound imaging), this work focuses on the study of the internal response of the abdomen during an impact. The in situ internal response of abdominal organs (liver, colon) was observed during impacts delivered to post mortem human surrogates. For the first time, trends were found between the external response and the internal organ kinematics. These tests were simulated using an existing human body model leading to similar trends for some of the responses. Also, a method was developed allowing estimating 2D strains in organs during an impact based on ultrafast ultrasound images. This method was first evaluated numerically and experimentally. Then, it was used to process images of human and porcine kidneys during an impact from a previous study. Results highlight the influence of parameters such as the impact speed on the 2D strains estimated in different organ regions.Overall, this research allowed improving upon the current knowledge on the internal response of the abdomen subjected to impact. It also showed the performance limitation of current human body models. The method developed to compute strain maps should help to further improve that knowledge in the future

Suite à l’évolution de la réglementation relative aux dispositifs de retenue pour enfants en juillet 2013, une campagne d’évaluation expérimentale a permis de constater que la situation des plus jeunes impliqués dans un choc latéral était particulièrement critique. Pour y remédier, une méthodologie originale a été développée dans le but de dimensionner les matériaux d’absorption d’énergie « idéaux » à intégrer aux sièges-auto au niveau des zones d’impact de la tête, de l’épaule et du bassin. Une étude paramétrique basée sur ce concept a alors consisté à piloter la retenue de ces trois segments corporels dans le but de minimiser, soit les critères réglementaires (mannequins Q0 et Q1), soit les critères biomécaniques (modèle hybride Q0-6WOC). Les recommandations issues de cette étude ont ensuite été appliquées à un dispositif de retenue existant afin de l’optimiser en choc latéral. Après avoir vérifié que les valeurs d’accélération linéaire résultante de la tête et de HPC étaient bien inférieures aux seuils imposés par la réglementation, un modèle par Eléments Finis (EF) du siège-auto optimisé a été développé puis validé en situation dynamique. Finalement, après couplage de ce modèle EF du dispositif de retenue optimisé avec le modèle hybride Q0-6WOC, il a été montré que les résultats de simulation numérique en choc latéral étaient deux fois plus faibles que ceux obtenus avec le dispositif de retenue de référence. / Following changes in Child Restraint System (CRS) regulation in July 2013, an experimental CRS evaluation campaign has been conducted. Then, it has been noticed that the situation amongst the youngest involved in side impact was particularly critical. An original methodology has been therefore developed in order to define the “best” energy absorption materials to use in child seats for head, shoulder and pelvis areas. A parametric study in which the restraint of each body segments was independently piloted has then been conducted. The aim was to minimize either regulatory criteria of Q0 and Q1 dummies, or biomechanical criteria based on Q0-6WOC hybrid model. Those recommendations have thereafter been applied to improve an existing child restraint system under side impact. First, it has been checked that resultant linear acceleration of the head and HPC criteria were below regulation limits. Second, Finite Element (FE) model of the optimized car seat has been created and validated in several dynamical steps. Third, both reference child restraint system and optimized child seat has been evaluated in side impact with Q0-6WOC hybrid model. Finally, it has been showed that technical changes helped to cut in half the biomechanical results.

Disertační práce je zaměřena na vytvoření návrhu antény operující v blízkosti lidského těla. Kritické parametry zahrnují impedanční přizpůsobení, polarizační vlastnosti a vyzařovací charakteristiky. Základní výzkum je proveden na zjednodušených modelech lidského těla, kde jsou striktně definovány materiálové vlastnosti. Pro pokročilejší analýzu jsou využity detailnější modely. Simulace jsou konfrontovány s měřením na reálných vzorcích. V práci zahrnujeme interakci mezi anténou a lidským tělem.

The interior of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) differs from passenger cars. Both the steering wheel and the occupant are positioned differently in a HGV and increases the risk of steering wheel rim impacts. Such impact scenarios are relatively unexplored compared to passenger car safety studies that are more prevalent within the field of injury biomechanics. The idea with using human body models (HBMs) is to complement current crash test dummies with biomechanical data. Furthermore, the biofidelity of a crash dummy for loading similar to a steering wheel rimimpact is relatively unstudied and especially to different rib levels. Therefore, the aim with this thesis was to evaluate HGV occupant thoracic response between THUMS v4.0 and Hybrid III (H3) during steering wheel rim impacts with respect to different rib levels (level 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 7-8, 9-10) with regards to ribs, aorta, liver, and spleen. To the author’s best knowledge, use of local injury risk functions for thoracic injuries is fairly rare compared to the predominant usage of global injury criteria that mainly predicts the most commonthoracic injury risk, i.e. rib fractures. Therefore, local injury criteria using experimental test datahave been developed for the ribs and the organs. The measured parameters were chest deflectionand steering wheel to thorax contact force on a global level, whilst 1st principal Green-Lagrangestrains was assessed for the rib and the organ injury risk. The material models for the liver and the spleen were remodelled using an Ogden material model based on experimental stress-strain data to account for hyperelasticity. Rate-dependency was included by iteration of viscoelastic parameters. The contact modelling of the organs was changed from a sliding contact to a tied contact to minimize unrealistic contact separations during impact. The results support previous findings that H3 needs additional instrumentation to accurately register chest deflection for rib levels beyond its current range, namely at ribs 1-2, 7-8, and 9-10. For THUMS, the chest deflection were within reasonable values for the applied velocities, but there were no definite injury risk. Fact is, the global injury criteria might overpredict the AIS3 injury risk (rib fractures) for rib level 1-2, 7-8, and 9-10. The rib strains could not be correlated with the measured chest deflections. This was explained by the unique localized loading characterized by pure steering wheel rim impact that mainly affected the sternum and the rib cartilage while minimizing rib deformation. The organ strains indicate some risk of rupture where the spleen deforms the most at rib levels 3-4 and 6-7, and the liver and the aorta at rib levels 6-7 and 7-8. This study provides a framework for complementing H3 with THUMS for HGV occupant safety with emphasis on the importance of using local injury criteria for functional injury prediction, i.e. prediction of injury risk using parameters directly related to rib fracture or organ rupture. Local injury criteria are thus a powerful safety assessment tool as it is independent on exterior loading such as airbag, steering wheel hub, or seat belt loading. It was noticed that global injury criteria with very localized impacts such as rim impacts have not been studied and will affect rib fracture risk differently than what has been studied using airbag or seat belt restraints. However, improvements are needed to accurately predict thoracic injury risk at a material level by finding more data for the local injury risk functions. Conclusively, it is clear that Hybrid III has insufficient instrumentation and is in need of upgrades to register chest deflections at multiple rib levels. Furthermore, the following are needed: better understanding of global injury criteria specific for HGV occupant safety evaluation, more data for age-dependent (ribs) and rate-dependent (organs) injury risk functions, a tiebreak contact with tangential sliding for better organ kinematics during impacts, and improving the biofidelity of the material models using data from tissue level experiments. / Förarmiljön i lastbilar gentemot personbilar är annorlunda, i detta kontext med avseende på främst ratt- och förarposition som ökar risken för islag med rattkransen för lastbilsförare. Sådana islag är relativt outforskat jämfört med passiv säkerhet för personbilar inom skadebiomekaniken. Tanken bakom användning av humanmodeller är att komplettera nuvarande krockdockor med biomekanisk information. Dessutom är biofideliteten hos en krockdocka vid rattislag relativt okänt, speciellt vid olika revbensnivåer. Därför är målet med detta examensarbete att undersöka thoraxresponsen hos en lastbilsförare genom att använda THUMS v4.0 och Hybrid III (H3) under rattislag med avseende på revbensnivåer (nivå 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 7-8, och 9-10) och revben, aorta, lever, och mjälte. Enligt författaren verkar användning av lokala riskfunktioner för thoraxskador relativt ostuderat jämfört med den övervägande användningen av globala riskfunktioner som huvudsakligen förutser den mest vanligt förekommande thoraxskadan, nämligen revbensfrakturer. Därför har lokala riskfunktioner skapats för revben och organ, baserat på experimentell data. Uppmätta parametrar var bröstinträngning och kontaktkraft mellan ratt och thorax på global nivå, medan första Green-Lagrange huvudtöjningen användes för att evaluera skaderisken för revben och organ. Materialmodeller för lever och mjälte ommodellerades baserat på experimentell spänning-töjningsdata med Ogdens materialmodell för att ta hänsyn till hyperelasticitet. Töjningshastighetsberoendet inkluderades genom att iterera fram viskoelastiska parametrar. Kontaktmodellering av organ gjordes genom att ändra från glidande kontakt till en låsande kontakt för att minimera orealistisk kontaktseparation under islagsfallen. Resultaten stödjer tidigare studier där H3 visat sig behöva ytterligare givare för att noggrannt kunna registrera bröstinträngning vid olika revbensnivåer bortom dess nuvarande räckvidd, nämligen vid revben 1-2, 7-8, och 9-10. Uppmätt bröstinträngning i THUMS var rimliga för hastighetsfallen men gav inte någon definitiv risk för skada. Faktum är att de globala riskfunktionerna kan överskatta AIS3 risken vid revben 1-2, 7-8, och 9-10. Revbenstöjningarna kunde inte korreleras med bröstinträngningarna. Detta kunde förklaras genom de unika lastfallen som karakteriseras av rena rattislag som främst påverkar sternum och revbensbrosk som i sin tur minimerar deformation av revben. Organtöjningarna indikerar på någon risk för ruptur där mjälten deformerar som mest vid revben 3-4 och 6-7, medan för både levern och aortan sker det vid revben 6-7 och 7-8. Denna studie presenterar ett sätt att komplettera H3 med THUMS inom passiv säkerhet för lastbilsförare med fokus på lokala riskfunktioner för funktionell skadeprediktering dvs. prediktering av skaderisken med hjälp av parametrar som är direkt relaterat till revbensfraktur eller organruptur. Lokala riskfunktioner utgör en kraftfull säkerhetsbedömning som är oberoende av externa lastfall som t.ex. airbag, rattcentrum, eller bälteslast. I denna studie noterades det att de globala riskkriterierna inte har undersökts med väldigt lokala islag som rattislagen utgör och kommer därför att påverka risken för revbensfraktur annorlunda gentemot vad som har studerat, t.ex. airbag eller bältelast. Däremot behövs det mer data för de lokala riskkriterierna för att kunna prediktera thoraxskaderisken med ökad noggrannhet. Avslutningsvis, det är tydligt att Hybrid III har otillräckligt med givare och behöver förbättras för att kunna registrera bröstinträngning vid flera revbensnivåer. Vidare behövs följande: bättre förståelse för globala riskfunktioner anpassat inom passiv säkerhet för lastbilsförare, mer data för åldersberoende (revben) och töjningshastighetsberoende (organ) riskfunktioner, en ”tiebreak” kontakt med tangientiell glidning för bättre organkinematik, och ökad biofidelitet av materialmodeller genom att använda data från vävnadsexperiment.